Peace, Love, and Torn
by The Crazy Chemist
Summary: Lilo in high school fanfic. Rated M for some bad language, bullying, violence, and a suicide attempt by a character. Please don't read if you are emotionally unstable. I do not own anything, including the Lilo and Stitch franchise! Love to all! XOXOXO
1. It's Not Fair, But They're My Friends

"Your house is the next dump of Kauai!"

"Weirdlo, weirdo!"

"You have the ugliest dogs I have ever seen! They ruin everything, have the smelliest breath, attack me, and bite me! They should be put down at the animal shelter. That would be fine with me! Ha, ha, ha!"

"Weirdlo, weirdo!"

"There goes Weirdlo again. She is such a whore. I can't believe Keoni is her boyfriend. She must be soooo easy. Such a sleaze! I hope she gets pregnant and has to drop out!"

"Yeah! Good one!"

"Weirdlo, weirdo!"

"Weirdlo's family is so weird. Her aunt is bald and only has one eye. Just hideous! And, you thought that that was weird, her uncle has FOUR eyes! How much freakier can they get? No wonder why she is so ugly! She inherited it!"

"Weirdlo, weirdo!"

"Ohh… look at the little baby cry… does she need her diaper changed or a hot bottle? Need to be burped?"

"What a clown! Do you shop for clothes at the circus?"

"Weirdlo, weirdo!"

"Your sister never deserved a sister like you. In fact, your parents never wanted you. That's why they killed themselves in that car crash. Your sister is next. And so is her husband."

"Weirdlo, weirdo!"

"I can't believe Weirdlo actually has a photo of that ugly, untalented, terrible, old, dead musician hung up in her locker. It makes my eyes go blind, huh girls?"

"Yeah!"

"Weirdlo, weirdo!"

"What'd you get on the test Weirdlo? Ohh! I knew it! You are so dumb and stupid, you big flunker! Thanks for the curve!"

"Weirdlo, Weirdlo, Weirdlo!"

"Gonna cry again, huh baby!?"

"Late to class again! He, he! Such a teacher's pet."

"Weirdlo, Weirdlo!"

"Suspended for the second time. It's about time after you punched me and gave me a bloody nose! Next time you'll end up in juvenile hall!"

"Weirdlo, weirdo, Weirdlo!"

"You should just go kill yourself Weirdlo! The world, your family, and your friends, if you had any, would be so much happier without you around."

"WEIRDLO!"

 _Tossing and turning. Bloodshot eyes illuminated by the star dome above. Hiding in the cries for help. Not a wink of sleep. Internal misery._


	2. Morning

"Jumba! That is not how you make waffles. Repeat after me!" Pleakley lectured wiping his sweaty face with his pink, laced 'Kiss the Cook' apron. He opened the window above the sink and waved the smoke away from the fire detector. "Pour the batter into the waffle iron."

"Pour the batter into the waffle iron."

"Shut the waffle iron."

"Shut the waffle iron."

"Turn the heat up to the maximum level."

"Turn the heat up to the maximum level," rubbing his hands with evilness.

"And wait for the crispy _brown_ goodness to be done. I think you can handle it from here." Pleakley turned away and started a batch of coffee. Nani and Jumba were the sole coffee drinkers of the house. But, an extra full batch was required when Jumba said he needed three cups in the morning for a full day of bed not breakfast guests, inventiveness, and experimentation. Despite being one of the pretend dogs, Stitch also took his fair share quite often.

"Good… morning…" Stitch yawned with the accompaniment of his paws clicking against the floor. Angel followed behind.

"Good morning 6-2-6-!" Jumba began with a gasp as Stitch stuffed Jumba's entire black, burnt creation into his mouth.

"Toasty…" Stitch crunched with burnt pieces falling to the floor. Angel scoffed at him; he didn't share a bite for her, except the crumbs. How rude!

"Like creator like creation," Pleakley smirked handing Jumba his white gigantic coffee mug. "Black just like you like it."

"Thanks, my little one," taking a swig. "At least someone appreciates Jumba's cooking!"

Sneaky footsteps down the hall.

" _Lilo_ , you can't miss the most important meal of the day!" Pleakley scowled pointing to her seat at the table. She had nearly made it out of the front door, but was caught fish line and sinker, once again.

"But, I'm late for school… I overslept…"

"You're also late for a nutritious breakfast young lady… Sit!" Pleakley declared waving the waffle tongs like he was trying to land a jumbo jet airplane. A familiar smell infiltrated the air. "Jumba, not again!"

"Meega, meega!" Stitch dibbed pointing to the origin of the smoke that Pleakley was now fanning out of the window.

"Naga boojiboo, meega!" Angel disagreed.

"You are dismissed as my cooking assistant! Just go drink your coffee!" Pleakley scolded hitting Jumba on the back with the tongs in the direction of the table. He placed the burnt waffle on the ground for Angel to scarf down.

"Fine…" Jumba sighed spinning a spoon in his coffee and letting the warm steam rise to his face. Temporarily, it fogged up his vision. "Why so long face not-so-little-girl?"

"I'm just tired..."

"Tired? Having too much work for school?"

Lilo nodded with a yawn. She rested her head between her hands and flickered her eyes like she was going to fall asleep.

"Pleakley, be getting not-so-little-girl some coffee?!"

"Coming!" Pleakley cheered resting a blue mug with yellow stars at her elbows. He gave Lilo a pat on the back as Jumba still eyed her concernedly, drinking his own brew.

"Lilo tired… needs sugar!" Stitch smiled dumping the entire sugar canister into her cup.

Lilo gave a disgusted look and turned her head in the opposite direction of Stitch and Jumba, huffing and in deep thought.

"You bad little monster! Give me that sugar or what is left of it!" Pleakley admonished. "Here you go, Lilo," setting a slightly burned waffle and a new cup of coffee next to her. "Ah, ah, ahh. Don't even think about it! No dousing her waffle in all of that syrup!"

"Good morning everyone… has anyone seen my… LILO!" Nani screamed making David behind her jump.

"What?"

"That is way too much _mascara_! And what kind of outfit is that, a tube top and a miniskirt?"

"It's what all my friends are wearing!" taking a forceful bite out of the dry waffle.

"Yeah, the latest edition of Beautiful Teen Girl mag…"

"Zip it Pleakley! Go change that skanky outfit and take a wet rag to your face," Nani waited impatiently for her sister to get up. "NOW!"

"Ughhh! You stupid sister!" Lilo hissed deliberately trudging through the hall to the elevator that led her to her rooftop dome. The trudging continued as she stepped out into her room, though much more faintly.

"I just don't know how to deal with her sometimes…" Nani sighed hurriedly drinking her coffee and eating her waffle. She glanced at the wall clock time and the time on her own watch.

"It's probably just a phase." David put a hand on Nani's back in comfort.

"A phase of getting into suspension for beating people up and wearing striper clothes?"

"Hey, everyone goes through that phase on Jumba's home planet, completely normal," Jumba reassured on his second cup of coffee.

"Even you?" Pleakley asked sarcastically with a smirk.

"Yeah, but maybe except striper par-"

"There, you happy?" Lilo hissed again in the doorway. She was wearing a black hoody with a black shirt underneath and a pair of scuffed up jeans.

"That's better, sweetie. Now, you have a _good_ day at school. Planet Turo time is 438 hours behind, that makes it 8:38 here... I'm late! Mr. Jameson is going to kill me. Aloha!" Nani scurried around the house gathering her last work things and ran out to her rusted Jeep. David did the same.

"Not-so-little-girl be needing a ride to school?"

"Nah… bye…"


	3. They're Definitely Not My Friends

After feeding Pudge and walking to school, Lilo had missed first and most of second period. If Stitch had a say in it, he would have speedily tricycled her there so she could make it to second period. But, he no longer went to school with her; the excuse of show and tell and service dog had worn off on the administration long before middle school.

Lilo walked through the halls ducking from creepy, hawk-like hall monitors into any crevice she could fit into, for she was still quite tiny for her age. She didn't dare enter her second period trigonometry class. She would be tormented for sure if she did - the same old crowd. Her only other option was to tiptoe to the nearest girl's bathroom to hide. She planned to camp out there until her favorite period of the day arrived: lunch. After that was in-school suspension.

"Oh, there's Weirdlo! Where have you been all morning? Taking a nap like a little baby?" Mertle chuckled powdering her cheeks in a mirror.

"Yeah!" Elena, Yuki, and Teresa agreed practicing their flirty cheer stunts.

"Or maybe she was actually considering killing herself, just look at that outfit. She's already planning for her own funeral. Ha, haha, ha, haa."

"Why aren't you in class Mertle…" Lilo sighed.

"Oh, you didn't know? Maybe you should get your head stuck out of your ukulele! There's a cheer competition today after school and we're bound to win, right girls?"

"Yeah!"

"I always wanted to be a cheerleader…" Lilo sulked.

"But you didn't make the team. Boo hoo… Only the best of the best make the team and get the glory in the competitions. But, you're ugly and untalented…" Mertle bragged as Lilo entered a stall in hopes to hide for her life. "Hey Weirdlo, you know what else you need to have your head stuck out of?"

The four girls giggled to each other shaking their pom poms in excitement.

"What Mertle…?"

"Keoni's ass… He _dumped_ you. He's my new boyfriend," shaking her pom poms uncontrollably like she was going to fall over dead from his hotness.

Lilo froze, about ready to close the stall, not believing a word of it. "That's not possible. He would… let me know…"

"Well, he told me to tell you - us being best, best, _best_ friends in all…" with an evil smirk. "How could you ever think that some lowlife freshmen like you could ever end up with the senior, hottie, quarterback of the football team?"

"I HATE YOU MERTLE!" Lilo screamed at the top of her lungs letting her sobs get the best of her.

"Oh, you better not beat me up, there's cameras all around and you wouldn't want to be expelled, would you…?! CRY BABY, CRY!" The four girls shoved Lilo into a stall and kicked the door shut.

"WEIRDLO, WEIRDO!"


	4. Lunch

"Hi, Lilo. We missed you in ukulele orchestra this morning. Is everything alright…? Where's Keoni? I saw him this morning. Isn't he going to join us?" Toby asked as he tried to juggle his drum sticks and his hot school lunch tray to an empty table. Today, he had his long, blonde hair tied up in a ponytail and was wearing a black Nickelback band t-shirt with a pair of jeans, much like Lilo's.

"Keoni broke up with me..." Lilo cried shoving her lunch tray away from herself. Why did she even bother? She was just going to throw it away anyway. She laid her head on the table, which was scrawled in the latest initials of couples and curse words; her long hair sponged up her puddles of tears.

"For who?" Victoria gasped placing an arm in comfort around her best friend.

"See for yourself…" Lilo glanced up revealing her snotty drenched face. Then, she bolted her head down to the green table again.

"Mertle?" Toby sighed looking at the pretentious group of cheerleaders and football players in an adjacent corner of the lunchroom.

"He didn't even tell me…" Lilo wept as Victoria gave her a hug.

"That's completely wrong! He is just a jerk! I can't believe he did that to you-!" Toby said getting very worked up.

"What were you saying bimbo blonde about my boyfriend? Better eat up your free and reduced lunch – and your words!" Mertle giggled walking towards them. The entire cheerleader and football game posse was behind her laughing, including Keoni. "Better speak up, little boy with a small dick!" flicking a spoonful of slushy onto his face.

"Nothing…" Toby murmured, defeated and shaken.

"What about you ragged loser slut, got anything to say?"

"Stop treating Li-" Victoria squealed, but Mertle dumped her entire slushy on top of Victoria's head. Victoria shuddered trying to get it off - some had already slipped down her spine.

"YOU'RE GOING DOWN MERTLE!" Lilo yelled abruptly as she got up from her lunch seat and nailed Mertle in the mouth as hard as she could.

* * *

Lilo looked back as she was dragged out of the cafeteria. Toby and Victoria had worried expressions on their faces. There was a puddle of blood where Mertle stood - not enough compared to the lake Lilo had cried.


	5. Principal's Office

"LILO, WHAT DID YOU DO!?" Nani hollered slamming the hefty door of the principal's office to a shut. The image of the ambulance outside was sliced by the window blinds. " _ANSWER ME_!"

"NO!" Lilo cried swiveling her chair away from her sister's face and curling up into a ball. "Noooo!" Lilo screamed as her big sister wheeled her back.

"Nani… your sister punched Mertle Edmonds, again. Broke her two front teeth," the principal stated pressing the tips of his fingers together forcefully.

"Awww, Lilo…" Nani sighed in a disappointed voice.

"At our school, as you know Nani, we do not tolerate violence. I think it would be best if Lilo takes a week in out-of-school suspension."

"That seems a little harsh. She wouldn't do it agai-"

"Mertle's going to need cosmetic surgery…"

"Sounds perfectly reasonable… You wouldn't do it again, _right Lilo_?"

" _Right_ …" Lilo grunted.

"See, off to a good start already," patting her sister on the head with a fake grin. "She can start back next Thursday?"

"Yes. But, let me make myself clear: I will not tolerate no more violence from you Lilo. One more episode like that and you're expelled. I am also expecting you to apologize to Mertle. Agreed?"

" _Yes, sir_ ," Lilo scowled.

"Good day."


	6. Home Early

"Have a good day at school Lilo?" Pleakley chimed not noticing what time it was. He was watching Monsters Gone Bad with Jumba, Stitch, and Angel on the loveseat. Stitch and Angel were reenacting all of the scenes rather dramatically. "Have a good day at work Na-?"

"What has gotten into _you_?!" Nani screamed as her sister headed for her dome.

"Excuse me?" Pleakley said, finally diverting his eye from the screen; he thought she was talking to him. Immediately, he muted the TV, which resulted in some angry grunts from Jumba and the little monsters.

"I said _nothing_! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Maybe _I will_ … Who would want to be around you right now anyway?"

" _Good._ Leave me alone to _die_!" Lilo screamed as the sound of the elevator carried her voice. "AHHHHH!"

"AHHH!" Nani screamed into her hands - tears were forming in her big brown eyes. She stood there motionless for several moments.

The punching. The blood. The ambulance. The principal. The suspension. The yelling. The torn.

"What happened?" Pleakley sympathized letting Nani take his seat on the couch.

Nani wiped her nose on her blue floral work uniform as Stitch gave her worrisome eyes.

"…S-he got into another fight with Mertle… got out-of-school suspension for a week…"

"Really?" Pleakley tried to console.

"Yep… For knocking Mertle's teeth out. There was an ambulance…"

"Bet evil Mertle not-so-little-girl looks lot better…" Jumba laughed.

Pleakley nudged Jumba and handed Nani one of his pink handkerchiefs. "You know you're not helping, right?"

"I know…" Jumba smirked, "Although not-so-little-girl must have had reason to beat up on evil Mertle not-so-little-girl."

Stitch nodded knowing this was not his Lilo. She only let him get to Mertle's inner workings by licking her face or _accidentally_ attacking her.

"She won't tell me anything right now…. She just tells me ' _nothing_ ' and ' _it's no big deal_.' … It _is_ a big deal…" Nani looked at Lilo's old drawings on the bookshelf, including the one of the big dummy head himself, and sniffled. "When she was littler, we would tell each other everything. Somehow, it's not like that anymore… I want my sister back…"


	7. Torn

"Lilo, sweetie, I'm sorry about what I said down there. Me and Pleakley made your favorite cookies – chocolate with white chips. Want one?" Nani shyly smiled walking over to her sister with Pleakley who was in a frilly pink dress and matching apron. She didn't care if her sister ate all of the cookies. Sometimes the cure to anything was just some good family cooking. "Lilo, honey?"

There was no answer. She _was_ taking a nap - just a nap.

"Hey, what's this?" Pleakley asked picking up a piece of paper by her side. "She is such a studious student! Working until she fell asleep! She needs to work on her penmanship though! It says: _To whomever may be reading this_ , - she must be writing a letter to Mertle!" Pleakley said in a proud voice nudging Nani.

"Just keep reading it!" Nani instructed setting the cookies down on Lilo's bed and leaning over Pleakley.

" _I'm sorry for all of the pain I caused you. You didn't deserve it. I was an angel that should have never been born. It's better this way…. Lilo_ …"

The two broke out into tears as they rushed to her side. She was slightly pale and was certainly not responding. To her other side was a bottle of some of Jumba's pills from his home planet that he used to alleviate his back pain. That was some potent stuff.

"Jumba _, get up here_!" Pleakley wailed.

Heavy footsteps and click-clacking.

"What is being wrong?" Jumba noticed the state Pleakley was in; he'd never seen his best friend this upset. "What is being wrong Pleakley?"

"Lilo committed suicide… using your pills!"


	8. Emergency Room

Knock, knock…

"Pleakley, cannot come in yet. Doctors are still working," Jumba sighed creaking the door open enough to see his skinny friend.

"Why do you get to be inside anyway?"

"Jumba has information on how to limit toxicity. But, believe me, don't want to be seeing this, not pretty…"

Jumba just stared at Pleakley for a few seconds, eyes teary. Pleakley'd never _really_ seen Jumba cry. Yes, during his monster movies and when Lilo and Stitch were reunited, but something different was there within those four alien eyes.

"Fine…" Pleakley wept giving a motion for Jumba to close the door. He paced back and forth - his heels tapping the floor like torrential rain on cement. In the waiting room, he could see Nani, David, Angel, and Stitch. Nani and David were in each other's' arms and Angel was trying to comfort Stitch. Pleakley could tell that Stitch had a rather blank expression on his face. His ears were also droopy.

Knock, knock…

"What now Pleakley?"

"How much… longer?"

"Don't know my little one…"

Jumba shut the door again leaving Pleakley to pace, lost in thought. All of this was so sudden. No explaining behind it. No words…

"Ah-!" Pleakley almost screamed in terror as he looked down to the ground. A little blue furry monster was hugging him with his razor-sharp claws. Pleakley knelt to the cold, white linoleum floor and hugged him back, taking the creature into his arms and almost cradling him like a baby. Stitch cried. He cried a lot, also with some viscous boogers. Pleakley surprisingly didn't care. It just gave him more of a reason to cry himself.

Knock, knock…

"Pleakley, for last time, doctors are not – aww… 626…" wiping his eyes and nose out of pride.

"Can Stitch… come in?"

…Silence…

"Can Stitch… come in?" Stitch repeated.

"Alright…"

Jumba shut the door with a small wave at Pleakley. Stitch scurried up the hospital bed and nested himself between Lilo's limp legs.


	9. Love

"Can come in now… be getting rest of ohana little one…"

Pleakley couldn't tell by Jumba's tone whether there would be good or bad news. But, alas, he gathered up the rest of the ohana and took them into Lilo's hospital room. It was dark and a TV from up above was playing some Frankenstein movie, one of Lilo's favorites. Nani, David, and Angel surrounded the bed as Pleakley opened up the window to let in some sunshine. Pleakley then sat down next to Jumba, who looked drained, and put a comforting arm around him.

Lilo was not awake yet, but the doctors had told Jumba that she would be soon. She had a rather peaceful expression on her face as she slept, hopefully sweet dreams. Stitch was cuddling up next to Lilo's side and a lone hand of his was on her heart feeling the slow rhythm. Angel brushed a paw delicately over Lilo's face to remove any stray hairs; she hoped the warmth would return blush to her cheeks.

Nani cried over her sister and so did David, who traced a hand along Nani's lower back. "We all…" weeping, "Love you so much Lilo… You're the most beautiful young lady, very talented… very unique…" weeping more and playing with Lilo's lush straight black hair, "So caring and so smart…" Nani took a gulp, "Ohana means family… family means nobody gets left behind… or forgotten… Family also means love… forever…"

"…N-nani….?" Lilo mumbled flickering her eyes to the sun like a newborn.

"Lilo!" Nani cried with tears and hugging to death, but being extra careful around her sister's stomach region. There were no words; Nani had no idea where to start or how to bring up the matter. Nani finally broke from the hug and let the other members of the ohana get their fair share.

"Everybody hates me... Mertle told me I should just go kill myself…" Lilo said holding Stitch and Angel. "She said it would make the world a better place…" Lilo sniffled. The whole family leaned in, not believing what they had just heard.

"Of all the lies of Kwelta! I'm going down to that principal's office right now to go-!" Jumba yelled in anger reaching for the doorknob.

Pleakley stopped him and held him tight, surprising his comrade. "Calm down, Jumba. You're not going anywhere."

" _Lilo_ , without you, my world would fall apart…." Nani sobbed holding her sister's cold hand and giving it some needed warmth. The rest of the ohana nodded in agreeance. "We love you… very, very…, very, very, very, very much…"


	10. Friday

All day, Nani cradled her sister in her arms in the hospital bed and Stitch returned to his post at Lilo's feet. Angel accompanied him. A nurse stood watch.

Jumba retreated to his lab in the spaceship.

Pleakley resorted to obsessive shopping at the mall.

Not being able to comfort Nani anymore, David surfed the waves.

"Stitch tay Lilo…"

 _Silence, hiding sobs, no hunger, depression. Wanting to be isolated, but not._


	11. Saturday

"Hey, Lilo, we brought you your homework from Thursday and Friday." Toby stated as he and Victoria hobbled into the dark room. They had brought some flowers, which Victoria quickly added to Pleakley's elaborate Friday display.

No answer from the four that lay in the bed nor from the nurse who was observing the behavior.

"Lots of trig. Not too bad. Just the laws of cosine and sine."

The two visitors looked up at whatever was on the TV and sighed.

 _Eyes of denial, hugs, and some hopeful words of comfort. A first smile._


	12. Sunday

After a morning surfing, David gathered up the courage to round up Pleakley and Jumba. And so, the three brought pizza for lunch. Only half of the pizza was eaten, but at least it was something and it brought the ohana together.

Pizza was the school lunch on Thursday. It reminded Lilo of that day.

The bullying. The punch. The torment. The sadness. The death. Oh and…

"Keoni broke up with me…" Lilo remembered with a cry.

 _Bittersweet. Let the feelings flow._


	13. Monday

Mr. Jameson, Nani's boss, required that Nani come back to work. David also returned to work at the luau.

Jumba was hard to pull out of the lab while Stitch and Angel could not be torn apart from Lilo.

Pleakley was a frequent visitor, besides the nurses.

He set a large bouquet of hibiscus, lilies, daisies, carnations and foliage next to the Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday bouquets.

"Feeling up to homeschool today? It's the start of a new week." He probed flaring the flowers so the arrangement looked fuller.

"No," Lilo replied as she petted Stitch.

Lilo knew that public school was out of the question for a while. Because of Nani and David's working situations, Jumba and Pleakley stepped up to the plate to be her awaiting homeschool teachers when she was ready.

 _Confused, embarrassed, guilty._


	14. Tuesday

"Hey, sweetie, we brought dinner. Wanna come outside and eat?" Nani questioned putting an arm around her sister.

"Yes," Lilo nodded as the ohana, excluding Jumba who stayed in his lab, moseyed out of the hospital and found a picnic bench outside. The sun was about to set below the ocean and the breeze was safe and alluring.

Afterwards, they went on a walk around the island saying aloha to a handful of Stitch's cousins. They all seemed happy to see her.

 _A night full of contagious smiles._


	15. Wednesday

"We got a surprise for you!" David smiled hiding something behind his back. Pleakley nodded as he sat Wednesday's flowers down on the table; it clearly wasn't that.

"What?" Lilo pondered.

"Some peanut butter and bread!"

"For Pudge?!"

Nani kissed her sister's head in confirmation, "For Pudge."

The ohana, again excluding Jumba, made as many peanut butter sandwiches as the bag of bread allowed. Stitch ate a few; his hunger was returning.

"I talked to the doctor today. They said they can release you tomorrow," Nani stated taking a spoonful of peanut butter and eating it. "How do you feel about that?"

"That sounds fine," Lilo answered smearing a second layer of peanut butter on the last sandwich.

"They recommend some family counseling and some individual counseling for you."

Lilo shrugged.

 _The stitches to fix the torn._


	16. Thursday

Walking out of the hospital. Backs turned. The same safe and alluring breeze comforts bringing a sense of hope.


	17. First Night Back

"Why do I have to sleep with you, Pleakley, Stitch, and Angel?" Lilo sighed carrying her pillow into Jumba and Pleakley's room. She was wearing a set of rainbow pajamas Pleakley had made for her special. In fact, Pleakley had made a matching set for everyone in the ohana just recently.

"Because we love you, sweetie," Nani smiled giving her sister a kiss on the head and gently pushing her in the direction of Pleakley's bed.

"Fine…" Lilo huffed climbing into the bottom bunk and hearing heavy footsteps up the stairs.

Pleakley had clearly drug him out of the lab.

"Jumba does not like these PJs little one…"

"Well, I think they make you look rather handsome!" Pleakley complimented racing around the room in excitement. "I'm so thrilled! This is like my very first real Earth slumber party-"

"Naga, naga tay!" Stitch interjected flicking his rainbow bed hat.

"That doesn't count! Your cousins ruined all of my preparations! And, teepeed me!" Pleakley refuted.

Jumba needed to hit the treasure on that subject as he now did his nightly stretches. "Besides that…, little one slumbers below Jumba all the time and never makes big deal…"

"Well, this is different!" Pleakley blushed crawling over Lilo gently. He was now to Lilo's left and Nani was to Lilo's right. At the base of their feet was Angel and Stitch. "Is everybody comfy? I know I sure am!"

"No…" Lilo scowled. "I feel like the tuna in a tuna sandwich."

Jumba laughed looking at the crowded lower bunk, but avoiding eye contact with Lilo. He was glad he had a bunk all to himself, his own bunk to say the least.

"Here's your laptop like you asked Pleakley," David announced making room for it on the nightstand full of Pleakley's Earth trinkets. "Awe… where do I sleep tonight?"

"Thank you, _David_. And, Jumba kindly offered that you could sleep with him."

"I did?!" Jumba shouted falling onto his patooki from his touch-the-toes stretch. What was he thinking!? He _should have_ stayed in the lab and dozed off on some Erlenmeyer flasks. Pleakley gave him _the eye_ as the smaller alien typed on his laptop. "I mean… I did. Surfer boy can take inside so he doesn't fall off bed from dreams about surfing the barrel."

"How sweet of you Jumba!" Pleakley smiled, much sincerer this time. David climbed up to the top bunk with a boost from the larger alien that accompanied him. After several moments of faint clicking of intergalactic laptop keys, Pleakley whispered, "Hey, Jumba? I want to sing a song in the dark with Lilo. Can you turn off the light?"

"Why can't bigger girl do it? She's right next to switch."

"Because she's already asleep. Can't you hear her snoring like a bear?"

"What did you say about my Nani?" David said half drowsy peaking his head down at Pleakley.

"Nothing… _Jumba_ … _go_ _turn off the light_."

"How is Jumba supposed to get up with local surfer boy laying on Jumba dreaming about his beautiful wife?"

"It's okay, Pleakley," Lilo whined feeling physically and mentally uncomfortable suddenly, "I don't want to sing a song anyway."

"Of course you do Lilo! Besides, we aren't going to sleep with the lights on! _Jumba_!"

With a grunt Jumba tried to entangle David from himself. No luck. The two fell to the wooden floor with a thud. Talk about a rude awakening and a hard fall.

"Jumba! You woke up Nani!"

"Couldn't help it," rubbing his patooki again. But this time, David joined him by rubbing a different region of his own body. "You would have woken bigger girl up with singing anyway." He stumbled over to the light and flicked it off, wondering if that was the right decision to make.

"We are going to sing _Beautiful_ by Christina Aguilera," Pleakley prepped bringing the mouse to the play button.

"Wait, a-what?" Nani yawned looking at Pleakley's bright screen, which made her rub her eyes.

"Everyday is so wonderful… Then suddenly. It's hard to breathe…" Pleakley sung. He was about 7 notes above the singer's range.

"Oh, no…" Jumba smirked hoisting David and himself back into the top bunk for refuge.

The instrumental made another intro as Nani covered her ears in preparation. "Come on, Lilo. Sing it with me…! Now and then I get insecure… From all the pain… I'm so ashamed!"

"That's for sure!" Jumba joked in a singing voice.

"Hey!" Pleakley screamed fisting the upper bunk.

"I am beautiful, noo matter what they say, words can't bring me down…! I am beautiful in every single way, yes words can't bring me down… Oh no… So don't you bring me down today," Pleakley and Lilo sung. At this point, his phone was ringing in his drawer. "Take it from here ladies!"

Pleakley crawled over Nani to reach his intergalactic cellphone and got back into his respective place on his bed. "Hi mother…" Pleakley sighed seeing who it was. "Uh huh… _uh huh_ … I'm kind of busy right now mother… Can I talk to you tomorrow instead? Uh huh… _bye_."

"Now, where were we?"

"We're beautiful no matter what they say. Yes, words won't bring us down… Oh no… We are beautiful in every single way yes words can't bring us down… Oh no… So don't you bring me down today!" Pleakley, Nani, and Lilo sung in unison, but with varying levels of enthusiasm.

Jumba's intergalactic phone was now ringing. He could barely hear it over the muffled pillow singing. "Hi Mother Pleakley… how are you? Not great. Uh huh… uh huh… No he has not found true love yet… Yeah, no… that's not some stripers at a club singing karaoke with Pleakley… uh huh… just family… uh huh… you too… yeah… goodbye…"

"Today!" the three cheered finishing the song.

After about the ninth run of _Beautiful_ , Jumba had clearly had enough. He carefully stumbled from the top bunk and was glad to find that the bottom bunk had tuckered out and was in zzz land. He took the laptop from Pleakley's lap and quietly closed it. The last of its light enlightened the three sleepers hugging and Jumba couldn't help but smile.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Thanks for reading thus far! I am really excited about this fanfic - although it is very depressing and eye-opening. I will post more chapters as I feel they are complete. I hope to have the entirety posted by April 2017. If you would like to be updated on the status of this story, follow or favorite this story or follow me. I would also love to hear from you in the reviews about anything that's on your mind! Thanks and love to all! Happy 2017!

In the meantime, you can check out my complete "The Walk of Life" novella fanfic. It's Jumba/Pleakley, but it explores the changing of this awesome ohana as well. It's also hospital-based; I don't know why I keep writing to this respect! Also, you can check out my various one-shots and series by visiting my profile.

The Crazy Chemist


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